Guild seeks COVAX fraud guidance
EFFORTS to coerce pharmacists and other frontline immunisers into providing false COVID‐19 vaccina on (COVAX) records are likely to increase, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia warns.
With public health law requiring people to be fully immunised against the pandemic virus to enter hospitality venues and many shops, the Guild has raised concerns about “a small number” of reported instances where pharmacists have been asked to falsify immunisation records, The Guardian reported.
Guild Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that “there have been mul ple case reports of individuals seeking to have false records of administra on of COVAX included in their immunisation record”.
“Whilst these instances seem to be isolated and few and far between, it is important that there is awareness of its occurrence and a reminder to the public of obliga ons of health professionals with their registra on and accurate recording of all vaccination events,” he said.
“The health workforce has done an amazing job throughout the COVID pandemic and should not be subjected to requests that are not only a breach of legisla on but would call in to ques on the registra on and right to prac ce of a health professional.
“Pharmacists are accessible health and medicine experts that are there for our pa ents and communities to help educate and alleviate concerns around vaccinations.
“We are not there to be harassed or incited to break the law.”
The Guild has called on authorities to provide uniform guidelines as to how pharmacists should respond to instances where members of the public attempt to bribe or deceive them into falsifying their \immunisation records, while also seeking tough penal es for COVAX fraudsters.
“Penal es akin to those that apply to quaran ne breachers and those who ignore mandatory vaccination orders, should also apply to those seeking to bribe a vaccinator to falsify records or to manipulate records, either digitally or by having someone else get vaccinated in their place,” the Guild said.